Garden Shell Salad
Brighten up your table with this vibrant and flavorful Garden Shell Salad, a refreshing pasta salad bursting with fresh vegetables and Mediterranean-inspired flavors. Tender shell pasta is tossed with juicy cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumber, crunchy red bell pepper, tangy red onion, and briny black olives, all brought together by a zesty homemade dressing made with olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, and aromatic oregano. The addition of crumbled feta cheese adds a creamy, salty bite that complements the medley of garden-fresh ingredients. Perfect as a chilled side dish for summer barbecues or a light, wholesome main course, this easy-to-make salad comes together in just 25 minutes and serves up a delightful combination of textures and tastes that will leave everyone reaching for seconds.
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 12 oz medium shell pasta
- 1.5 cups cherry tomatoes
- 1 large cucumber
- 1 medium red bell pepper
- 0.5 medium red onion
- 0.5 cups black olives (sliced)
- 0.25 cups fresh parsley (chopped)
- 0.25 cups olive oil
- 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 0.25 tsp black pepper
- 0.5 cups feta cheese (crumbled)
Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the shell pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.
While the pasta is cooking, chop the cherry tomatoes in halves, dice the cucumber into small chunks, and chop the red bell pepper into bite-sized pieces. Thinly slice the red onion and roughly chop the fresh parsley.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked and cooled shell pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, black olives, and parsley.
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper to create the dressing.
Pour the dressing over the pasta and vegetables in the mixing bowl. Gently toss everything together until evenly coated.
Add the crumbled feta cheese to the salad and lightly toss again to incorporate.
Cover and refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
Serve chilled as a refreshing side dish or a light main course.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
2452 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 110.5 g | 142% | |
| Saturated Fat | 32.0 g | 160% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 5.4 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 107 mg | 36% | |
| Sodium | 3521 mg | 153% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 304.8 g | 111% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 25.7 g | 92% | |
| Total Sugars | 35.0 g | ||
| Protein | 71.1 g | 142% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 1024 mg | 79% | |
| Iron | 14.9 mg | 83% | |
| Potassium | 3020 mg | 64% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
